Warriors: A Cruel and Deadly Lesson Title WIP
by LazyDoodle
Summary: Things are changing in the Alpine Forest. Quicker than easy-going Gray would have expected. And when his own daughter decides to light his heart aflame, things go haywire. A killing spree, a deadly decision, and a heart-breaking secret revealed may crush the spirit of many, leaves Alpine Forest taught a cruel and deadly lesson.


Chapter One

The Meeting

"Gray? Is that you?"

I held my breath, tongue in mid-lick. My eyes were wide, but my back was turned.

"I know you're in there. Don't bother grooming, you're already late."

I sighed and turned around. My dull, matted fur stuck out in clumps around my rear end.

"Wow, I knew you hadn't groomed yourself, but this is ridiculous! What will the rest of Alpine Forest think of us now?"

Alpine Forest. We weren't exactly a Clan, but we stood together, and defended each other. We hardly ever crossed paths. But laws needed to be passed in the Forest, and someone had to be there to enforce them, and we needed to know what was going on. So every Season, Pine, The eldest cat in the entire forest, held a meeting.

"That we're tougher than them?" I suggested hotly.

"More like we're weak and helpless."

I can't begin to describe how much I depend upon Lacy. She can be stubborn at times, even rude, but she's my best and only friend. There were plenty of other cats in the forest, but none of them compared to her. She's a human cat, and she lives in a tall, red, cold, hard, den of wall. I keep trying to tell her how completely idiotic it is of her to live there, but she protests, saying her humans depend on her. But at least she comes out occasionally. To see me. I think she likes me, and I might like her too. Is that love? I don't know. I've never thought much of the topic, but I guess I might want to start. I was already beginning to get gray with age, just like my name, and If I waited too long, it would be impossible to have kits. But how would we manage? Lacy would want to spend the rest of her days with her humans, but I prefer my clump of sunny grass in the meadow.

Lacy broke into my thoughts.

"Are you coming? I think they're waiting for us." She meowed.

"Yeah, I'm coming." I sighed.

"C'mon you grumpy old badger." She teased.

"I'll show you badger!" I threatened playfully.

With a swipe of my paw, I whacked Lacy hard in the flank. Thinking i had harmed her, I stepped forward to apologize, and she leaped up, covering the sun. She looked like a warrior up there.

She landed on me and pinned me down with a playful snarl.

"Pretty pitiful badger." She teased.

"Alright, alright, enough." I protested, spitting clumps of mud out of my mouth.

We walked quietly, side by side through the field. I studied her carefully. Her neatly groomed pure white pelt shined in the sunlight. Her eyes glittered like chips of ice, and her diamond studded blue collar completed her look.

"Have you ever imagined..." She paused before continuing. "Ever, having a family of your own one day?"

I was startled by the question. Lacy was a calm and quiet cat, and I hadn't expected her to be so straight-forward.

"I guess so." I meowed, barely audible, not knowing quite what to say.

"Oh." She replied hotly. "I see."

She quickened her pace until all I could see was her long-furred tail waving in front of my nose.

Great. I thought. I completely ruined my chance.

"Let all cats of Alpine Forest gather beneath the Sacred Oak for a Meeting."

Pine, the skinny, weak, dark brown elder's voice rang out across the clearing, as dozens of cats, old young, strong, weak, female, male, gathered to be seated.

Lacy had drifted off to meet up with her forest-cat sister. My eyes searched for the familiar black-spotted pelt, and didn't stop until I found it.

"Coal!" I called out.

The skinny she-cat weakly turned her head toward me. The face that stared into my eyes broke my heart in two. The once-young and beautiful she-cat I grew up loving was now nothing but a lame excuse for a mouse.

Her eyes brightened when they met mine, and I'm sure seeing her children again was all that made her life happier nowadays.

"It's good to see you son." She meowed, her voice cracking occasionally.

"As with you." I replied. "How've you been?"

"Not too good. I'm still getting over that fever and my hips ache non-stop these days." She talked loudly at first, but her voice got quieter gradually, as if it pained her to speak.

There was nothing left of my heart to crack any further, but somehow I managed to sag my shoulders even more.

As if she could sense my pain, she wrapped her skinny tail around my muscular shoulders.

"Don't you worry about me. Every cat must die sometime, or we'll all be grouchy every day!" She joked softly.

I brightened a little, knowing she must still have a little bit of energy left that she could still joke around.

But my heart was still broken beyond repair. As Pine called out to the cats to quiet down one last time, I padded over to find Lacy.

Coal that Burns at Night, my near-ancient mother, was dying.

Chapter Two

Flowers, Fur and Changes

I couldn't find Lacy, so I settled beside a mottled brown tom. He waved his tail in greeting. A friendly cat at least, I thought.

I heard a rustle behind me and glanced over my shoulder. As soon as my eyes fell upon the lean, cream-furred, blue-eyed she-cat, I hissed.

It was the Comets.

I was shocked to see that they were coming toward me.

"Do you know them?" Asked the tom next to me.

"No." I replied coolly.

He nodded slightly and fell back into his position. The Comets - Willow, Starla and Daisy.

The "pretty" she-cats.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Bummed we're too good for you Gray?" Hissed Daisy, walking up beside me.

"Shut up." I replied hotly.

The threesome gasped in unison.

Willow stalked up to me, a petunia tucked behind her left ear. Her beauty was almost invisible behind the snarl she bore on her muzzle.

"You can't hate us Gray. We're impossible to hate." She hissed.

It sounded to me like they were trying to convince themselves more than me.

"I can do whatever I want in the forest!" I protested.

"Not if you don't have any limbs left." She meowed, a dangerous edge to her voice.

"You wanna go?" I dared her to come forward.

She flipped her head and picked up the petunia which had fallen to the ground.

"Hold my flower." She ordered Starla.

The pure white she-cat obeyed and grasped it in her jaws.

"You messed with the wrong she-cat Gray." She hissed.

Tired of holding in my anger, I let out a yowl of defiance and grabbed her silky scruff in my jaws. She whirled around and landed a surprisingly hard blow on my forehead. Blood dripped into my eyes and I hissed so hard I thought I might go deaf. Realizing that pain would have no affect on her, I decided the best way to get under her fur would be to make her look ugly.

I grabbed her scruff again, but instead of pulling it, I shook it from side to side so that all of her back fur fluffed up like a badger's. She yowled in protest and bit my tail... hard.

Fuming, I reared up on my hind legs, ready for the killing bite, when Pine pushed me down to my knees.

"No matter who they are, no innocent cat deserves to die. A noble cat would have walked away." He scolded.

"Well I'm no noble cat." I protested. "I'm just a loner."

"Then at least have some grace or dignity." He stalked off and jumped back onto his perch.

Daisy and Starla were laughing their heads off, but Willow was still fuming in disgust.

"I'll get you back Gray, just you wait. We'll see who has the most dignity then." She warned.

The Comets padded over to the edge of the array of cats and sulked in mud, blood, and rage.

"It's been a difficult Spring." Began Pine. "Prey is scarce, and the weather has been particularly stormy. I would keep watch on the clouds whenever you leave your dens."

"Are you okay? She shook you up pretty badly, strange for a Comet." Whispered the tom who was seated next to me.

"I'm fine!" I spat. "No stupid, idiotic Comets could ever beat me!"

The tom lowered his head and scraped his claws awkwardly across the ground.

I looked across the clearing and spotted Lacy seated next to Flora, the cream she-cat who abandoned her family to live in the forest. She met my gaze and I smiled lamely, and to my surprised, she smiled back. She probably just overreacted. She still likes me.

"I have some unfortunate news." Pine declared.

Murmurs spread across the clearing like wildfire. Forest cats, human cats, loner cats and warrior cats alike were gossiping and guessing what could be wrong.

"What do you think happened?" The tom asked.

I sighed and stood to face him.

"Will you stop talking to me? I know you're just trying to be friendly but I'm not in the mood!"

Unlike last time, the tom had some dignity. He nodded slightly and padded over to sit next to a tortoiseshell she-cat.

I was proud, and a little shocked. I was expecting him to lower his head in shame again, or even wail like a kit. That would've been better I guess, but at least he won't be bothering me anymore.

"There have been many complaints, and It's been decided that a new law is to be passed." He took a long pause before continuing. "Human Cats are no longer welcome in the Alpine Forest."

Chapter Three

Bloodshed

My heart stopped beating. No human cats. No more Lacy! I would never be able to see Lacy again! No! This can't happen! This can't! I won't let it!

I prepared to leap up and challenge Pine, but a couple of cats were way ahead of me. Most of them Human Cats, others just cats who had siblings or friends who were Human Cats.

I decided to leave them to it, despite the look of pure horror Lacy shot me.

Suddenly, a group of tabby toms leaped up and defended Pine, and before I knew it, blood was flying everywhere.

A muscular ginger she-cat flung herself on top of me. I scrabbled under her grip furiously. I reached out and slapped her face with my razor-sharp claws, and dragged them along her muzzle. Yowling in fury she blindly kicked at me, but I was too quick for her. I grabbed her paw in my jaws as It aimed right for my throat and bit down hard.

With a furious shriek, she grabbed my ear and tore it clean off. I stumbled backward; the pain was blinding.

A white flash of fur strode across my eyes and blood flew everywhere. Once I regained my strength I pulled myself upward and was shocked to see what lay before me.

The battle was over.

That was It? I would have expected more for my first, full-on brawl. Dead bodies of cats lay everywhere.

A tabby, a ginger she-cat, a tortoiseshell she-cat...

... And a mottled brown tom.

I didn't dare stop to grieve for the kind cat who attempted to befriend my stubborn nature, I was too busy looking for my loved ones.

I found Lacy lying down in a patch of grass, licking her wounds.

"Are you okay?" I asked quickly, bounding over to her.

"I guess so." She mewed tartly.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't attack Pine, I had to help to weaker ones!" I defended myself.

"It's fine. I understand." She sounded as if she was about to continue, but I didn't catch on.

"I have to go." I meowed.

"What?!" She hissed. "You don't care enough about me to stay by my side?"

"I have to find out who is dead, and who is alive. You stay there, I'll be back soon, I promise." I whispered.

"Okay." She mewed. "But we'll never be able to have a future together."

I paused just as I was walking away. I stared at the ground for a long time. Finally I turned around and licked her ear.

"I know." I meowed.

I padded over to the spotted pelt lying motionless in the clearing. I closed my eyes and prayed that she was alive.

"Coal?" I whispered into her fur as I approached.

There was no reply.

"Coal?" I repeated, burying my nose into her pelt.

Still no reply.

"Coal that Burns at Night... Please!" I moaned. By now tears were streaming down my bloody face. But I didn't care. All that mattered now was Coal.

"Son..."

I wasn't sure if that's what she was trying to say, it was more of a deep moan from the inside of her chest, almost as If she was in too much pain to speak.

"Mother! You're alive! Thank goodness." I meowed, allowing the fur on my back to lay flat. "Come on, let's go get you to Lacy, I'm sure she can fix you up."

"No."

By now her words were barely audible.

"Mother please! Don't do this to me!" I began, weeping. "Who did this to you?"

She was far too weak to speak, so she stuck out a skinny, shaking, bony arm and stretched it over to a skinny, brown elder who was lying on a sunningrock.

Pine.

"I love you Gray." She murmured.

Before I could reply, the light from her eyes faded, and the slow rise-and-fall of her chest slowed until It stopped altogether. I knew she couldn't hear me now, but I replied anyways.

"I love you mother. The whole forest will never forget you... Coal that Burns at Night."

Chapter Four

Blood-Red Revenge

The feeling was weird. It was as If my heart was on fire. My paws tingled with the urge to kill, and I suddenly recognized this deadly emotion.

Hatred.

I yowled at the top of my lungs.

I didn't care who heard me, because It didn't matter.

I was going to kill Pine, no matter what I had to do.

As I walked over to his body, I hoped he was already dead, his skinny body ripped to shreds by the tabby toms.

But as he approached cautiously, the elder jumped up and attacked him.

It was no difficult battle.

He landed a few hard blows on my muzzle, and then I ripped his throat out. Blood sprayed everywhere as the tom's eyes grew wide with fear.

"This is for Coal." I whispered up to the sky.

I picked up the shredded tom by the scruff and ripped his pelt up furiously.

With another earsplitting wail, I tossed the body into the river and hissed as it sank to the bottom.

"I hope you don't go to StarClan." I whispered.

I bent my head toward the ground and squeezed my eyes shut. My teeth were clenched and my shoulders were hunched over as if in a great deal of pain. With a grief-stricken yowl, I raked my claws through the earth, sending soil flying in all directions.

"Why?!" I yowled. "Why did you have to take Coal?!"

Lacy padded up behind me and silently wrapped her soft tail around my tense shoulders.

I cried and cried until I fell asleep.

When I awoke, my eyes were burning. Puzzled, I sat up, and a wall of red flames burned into my pelt.

Terrified, I got up, hackles raised, and called for Lacy.

There was no reply.

The quietness that responded to my yowls was eerily familiar, and I began to panic.

Everywhere I turned was flame.

I inhaled so much smoke I started to vomit, but I didn't care.

I had to find Lacy.

I tried to yell, but I inhaled too much smoke and I began to vomit again.

Desperate, I scrabbled up the nearest tree, holding my breath. Once I got to the highest branch, It became easier to breathe. I spotted her white pelt immediately. A flaming log was blocking her path to safety.

I took a risk and jumped down, landing flat on my face. Wincing in pain, I decided to walk it off and rescue her. I dodged flaming branches as they threatened to burn my tail off. I finally reached her, eyes wide with terror, and refusing to move.

I screamed for her to run, but she just stood there in awe.

"LACY YOU HAVE TO MOVE!" I screamed.

It was too late.

A tree came tumbling down, and with a deafening crash, it landed on her body and crushed her.

"LACY!" I screamed.

Sparks and crackles erupted from the log as I mewled like a kit. Suddenly, Pine appeared from under the flaming log and was holding Lacy's body from her tail.

"Let her go!" I demanded.

He yowled with laughter and his pupils switch from their regular friendly green to a piercing red. He let out a blood-chilling cry and everything went black.

Chapter Five

Heart of a Rebel

Years have passed since "The Dream."

But I have It every night.

Part of me thinks It's because I murdered Pine, but I'll never know the real reason.

Ever since Pine's death, Human Cats were allowed to stay in Alpine Forest.

Lacy and I settled down and had a lovely she-cat who we named Fawn.

She agreed to stay with me in the forest during the day, and go to her Humans during the night.

It was a perfect compromise

I sat still and quiet, looking over the clear water. A cool breeze drifted over the clearing where years ago "The Battle" took place.

We decided to have our den here because it was the last memory I ever had of my mother, and It was closest to Lacy's Prison.

My expression didn't change, I stayed somber. My pelt hung from my old bones, and my hips jutted out from my flank.

The next second, I was plunged into ice-cold water. Yowling and hissing with rage, I spun around and splashed the water up onto the bank.

I heard a hearty mrrow of laughter from Fawn.

"That's not funny at ALL Fawn! you could have seriously injured me, or worse, you could have KILLED me!"

"Lighten up dad! I was just playing around." She retorted.

Water streamed from my pelt as I shakily pulled myself onto the bank. I shook my pelt free of water and the shining droplets scattered onto Fawn's neatly groomed pelt, not a hair out of place.

"Da-a-ad!" She meowed. "That's not funny!"

"Sounds familiar..." I pretended to sound like I was searching for the answer.

"You didn't have to do that!" She meowed crossly.

"Well now we're even aren't we?" I sighed, giving up the argument. "Now, do your mother and I a favor and catch a few trout for dinner."

"Fine! I'll catch your stupid fish!" She hissed, stalking away.

"Oh Coal... what am I going to do with her?" I whispered under my breath.

"He's such a mouse-brain!" I hissed. "He thinks he controls my life!"

I yowled so hard that a sparrow took off from the nearest branch.

Shaking the droplets of water out of my pelt, I picked up speed, ignoring the tight, burning feeling in my lungs.

Tips of grass tickled my belly fur as I flattened out to go even faster, if that was possible.

"Woo-hoo!" I meowed, my voice echoing loudly among the trees.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be guided by my nose.

My feelings of anger for my father had gone. I was completely alone here.

Suddenly, my paws felt empty air, and a rush of cold water swept me upside down.

I opened my eyes in shock, only to have them snapped shut by ferocious stinging. I tried to call out for help, but more bone-chilling water crept up my throat, choking me.

In panic mode, I churned my paws, determined to figure out which way was up. I squinted my eyes just a bit, and was amazed to find out how much sunlight spilled into them.

I was upside down!

Now if I could only figure out how to get right side up, I might make it.

I churned my paws to the side, willing the laws of gravity to side with me for once.


End file.
